#never done a critter without eyes before. the eyes a part of the whole style i have going on. but it's fun to go outside my comfort zone

[pokimoko]

Hello I'm Z, I actually have my birthday like a few weeks ago but nevermind that I wanted to ask for a drawing request if you do those still. So my request is a jellyfish holding a gay flag because I know you do those cool animals! I choose a jellyfish because they are my favorite animals specifically the immortal jellyfish because when if feels threaten it can go back it its baby form (polyp). You don't have to do this but I want say before I run out of words I love your art you amazingandcool

Happy belated birthday! Here are some jellyfish gifts just for you 🌈🪼

[cherrydreamer]

🍒Cherry Recs Some… FIC! (Part 2) 🍒

For @gothyringwald’s brilliant  Harringrove Feedback Fest 

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ORGANISING!) 

#1 Boss by @flippyspoon

(It has ERICA! Being amazing and sorting things out for Billy like the boss she is! Oh it’s funny and sweet and there’s BABYSITTER’S CLUB references! Utterly brilliant!)

A Clean Run by @mourntheantagonist

(Autocross rally car driving Billy. I LOVE that Billy has this whole other life that’s JUST his, and how he wants to introduce Steve to it. The perfect blend of fun, romance and (of course) a little hit of angst along the way!)

Baby, can you see through the tears? by @pretty-bratty

(Delicious BDSM fun, with a brilliantly bratty Steve and a Billy who knows when to give firmness and when he needs softness.

Billy Hargrove’s Exploration of Beauty (series) by @mourntheantagonist 

(Billy learning that he can be pretty and WANT to be pretty and Steve being so so good at helping him with it all. An utterly stunning series. I LOVE the chapters where we see Billy through other people’s eyes too, and see his found family growing, person by person🥰)

Billy Hargrove Needs A Nap by lilpeas

(Stunning. Touch starved Billy getting the sleep and the care and the love he needs. I can never look at cherry tomatoes without grinning now!)

Bruises on Both my Knees (For You) by @bentnotbroken1fanfiction

(Utterly delicious BDSM fic with SO MUCH heart)

Cherry by @lazybakerart 

(There aren’t enough words of praise for how much I adore this fic. The feelings it gives me, STILL gives me after multiple rereads. Love it. So much.)

Goodnight, Moon by @flippyspoon

(Billy and Steve solving their sleeping issues by sleeping with each other is a top tier trope AND it’s written by Flip- WHAT’S NOT TO LIKE? It’s cute and fluffy and soft and absolutely delightful.)

How Near You Stand To Me by @boudoirwriter

(Oh this is dark and delicious and the ANGST and the pain of both Billy and Steve is glorious. Heed the tags, because it does go to some dark places, but I am salivating with every update (one came out while I was at work and I holed up in the bathroom for half of my lunch break because I couldn’t wait to read it!))

lamp-bright rind by @nagdabbit

(Chef!Billy teaching Steve how to cook! Another one of those which has lodged into my heart (and I do think of it whenever I sharpen my knives!). Billy has the perfect amount of edge and attitude (but he’s so soft for Steve!) while Steve just can’t see how good and capable he actually is. Love it so much!)

night of the fuzzballs by @gothyringwald

(Gremlins-y critter horror that is SO DAMN delightful! I can see and hear this one so vividly, it feels EXACTLY like a Stranger Things Halloween Special episode!)

The Last Time In Hawkins by @callieb

(A gorgeously protective, brave Billy and the future he deserves. Beautiful writing.)

these arms of mine by @gothyringwald

(Billy and Steve and their own, very them prom night. So utterly perfectly romantic and OH I get tingles every time I reread it!)

Shaped Like Home by @kingsandsaints

(CHUBBY Steve! And such perfect dialogue and cooking lessons (I STILL think of ‘dusty boys’ whenever I use ground herbs!) and the hurt and angst that hits JUST right before we get some gorgeous comfort too. LOVE IT.)

Shelter (See Me Through) by @gypsymishka

(Hopper taking Billy in is trope I go WILD for, and it’s done SO WELL here. Billy’s pain and everything he’s suffered breaks my heart, but there is a strong undercurrent of love from Steve and Hop, and a real hope that things will get better for him soon.)

Switch Your Partner Round and Round by @platypanthewriter

(Body switching fun with some laugh out loud moments (And also some ‘my heart is breaking for both these boys’ moments too!) Pan writes with such a brilliantly engaging style and has so many wonderful ideas that I could rec SO MUCH of their stuff, so start with this and then check out the rest!)

Take Me Home Tonight by @prettyboyporter

(TEACHER FIC!! Yes!! Steve and Billy meeting again as teachers and getting to have the fun, cute friendship and relationship that they deserve, but still with that hint of high school rivalry! SUCH wonderful writing (because of COURSE! It’s Tee!) and oh some HOT HOT HOT moments too!)

The Sun is Up, The Sky is Blue by @prettyboyporter

(Come for the Harringrove, stay for the Murlexei? This one put a big, happy smile on my face! I love Murray and his straight (no pun intended) talking, and Alexei being an adorable bundle of sunshine learning all about American traditions AND them helping Billy to realise everything he can have.)

[squarefriend]

Mermay ended yesterday, but I’m sitting on the beach at this very moment so let’s fucking do this:

🌴🐬BEACH HEAD CANNONS!!!🐬🌴

Chara

❤️ They are actually rather neutral over the ocean. Far more of a skipping stones and playing in the lake kind of kid. Though, they do have a respect for the water’s raw power and changing tides. (Also seeing how much Undyne loves it made them want to appreciate the ocean more)

❤️ Thanks to being attached to Frisk’s soul, they kinda have to go to the beach all the time now. They like to go out as far as they can and walk along to the bottom, or float above Frisk and try to freak them out.

❤️ All that being said, they ADORE sharks. They nerd out every time they get to go to the aquarium. (Then get kinda embarrassed about it).

❤️ They have (on more than one occasion) convinced Frisk that because they’re a ghost they can see all the ghosts of everyone who’s drowned, and that yes, pirates ARE coming to get them...... It backfired at the notion that now Frisk WANTED to go meet the ghost pirates.

❤️ Had a brief period of wanting to be a mermaid, purely because A) Not a human and B) Typically man eaters. It suited their style

Frisk

❤️ They LOVE the ocean.... or rather, they love the beach. There’s one right at the edge of Ebbott City, so in the summer, they get to go up every weekend or so. And you can bet on that weekend, they have an absolute ball with whomever family/friend took them this time.

❤️ Their favorite part is exploring. They love to run around on the beach, looking for shells or any critters, as well as going out into as deep as the can in the ocean (usually only to be called back by their mom). Speak of the devil, Toriel bought them a snorkeling kit for their gotcha day and that thing has been used religiously ever since!

❤️ Every time they go the the car to go home, Frisk has to be checked by an adult (not either of the skelebros, they are WAY to lenient on this one) to make sure that they don’t have any stow away sea critters. One too many times of Frisk trying to keep a pet crab.

❤️ They take swimming lessons from Undyne! There were only a couple of misunderstandings over wether or not a humans could breathe underwater, but its all been sorted out! They’re doing really well!

❤️ They refuse to learn how to dive. Undyne has been trying to teach them for MONTHS now. It’s cannon ball or nothing, and they’re determined to keep it that way.

Flowey

❤️ Back when he was Asriel, he’d wanted to see the ocean. They don’t exactly have HUGE bodies of water in the underground like that, basically only the river. And no one swims in the river. Add in Chara’s talk of mermaids and their stories about lakes and skipping stones and all that.... It had been a big goal of his. Now that he’s there, and without the capabilities to swim or get in the water, and without the person who said they’d show him the surf.... it’s uh, it’s lost its appeal.

❤️ Frisk and Papyrus tried to get him to go out in one of those dog floaties. It looked pretty ridiculous and nearly tipped over a couple of times. Inevitably it was decided that it was just best to just keep him on the shore or in the shallows strapped to someone’s chest.

❤️ Usually he just sits on the shore with Paps, Frisk, or Toriel. He (begrudgingly) likes to make sand castles. He’s actually gotten quite good at them. Either that or eat nice cream.

❤️ Papyrus made him tiny sunglasses. He wears them every time they go to the beach.

❤️ When he does go into the water, he likes to stick his head under the serf and try to find fish. He actually managed to catch one in his mouth once, both impressive and terrifying.

Toriel

❤️ She is fond of the beach. Not so much the water, but she does enjoy the occasional swim with Frisk. Would probably like going out on a boat, though she has never tried it.

❤️ Usually while the rest of the family swims, she’s on the shore in her beach chair, reading a good book and keeping a watchful eye on her kids. She can usually get through half of the thing before its time to go home.

❤️ That being said, when she does go out in the water (usually to cool off or check on Frisk and/or Flowey) she is remarkably good at floating along. That, and she’s abit of a beast when it comes to X-treme monkey in the middle. That lady is huge and can use that height when she needs to. Also she has to shake off when she gets out of the water.

❤️ She ALWAYS has a beach bag on her, and in that beach bag is pretty much anything you’d ever hope to need. Pool toys, goggles, fresh water, extra sunscreen, at least three books, money, Your scocial security number, you name it.

❤️ Toriel’s usually the go to ‘hold tired swimmer gently’ person. And has done so for everyone in the main cast but Mettaton and Undyne. You could just fall asleep in those big ole’ arms.

Sans

❤️ He’s, as with most things, pretty nuetral about the ocean. Though, he adores the fact that it’s a day he can just slack off and relax in the sun (and sometimes water). He’s usually on the beach in a beach chair or sitting in a pool floaty, just drifting along. Sometimes he’s just latched onto Paps or Toriel, it’s kinda a wild card where he is at any given time.

❤️ He has never been sober ONCE while at the beach with the family. Mostly thanks to the fact that he somehow always has a martini in hand. No one knows where he gets it, let alone how it is almost always at least half way full. Needless to say, he’s at least buzzed by the end of the day.

❤️ Every time they go to the beach, he wears the most insane sunglasses. I’m talking Elton John style, but if they came from dollar tree. Normally it’s a pineapple pair, but they change on a whim. Once again, no ones entirely sure where they come from.

❤️ He briefly moved the illegal hotdog stand to beach, before the threat of getting fined was close enough to scadattle. This, the limited addition ‘Colddogs’ (now for 5g, wait he meant 50g, actually its 500-) became a thing. They were followed shortly by ‘Frozendogs’ (available in 50 flavors!)

❤️ The two never breathe a word of it, but every once in awhile Papyrus will rent a canoe and the two of them will go out on the water. They only do this at the dead of night, when the water is still and clear. Way out past the buoys, where it’s hard to see the shore, the moon and the stars bounce off the water in a shifting, funhouse esc reflection. Being out there, together, in practically silence..... It brings a lot of comfort to the two of them. It reminds Sans that yeah, this is real, and some things are worth remembering.

Papyrus

❤️ Paps is very fond of the shallows, but not a huge fan off big, open water. Unless he’s in the comfort of a canoe or boat. It’s just too big of a space. One can feel so... alone out there. But!! If he’s in chest or higher or with a group of close friends, he’s good!!

❤️ He bought special spandex gloves to wear in the water, ones that cover his fingers and palms without being skin (bone???) tight. They help him tread the water better, since he’s the opposite of buoyant. Which is definitely the only reason he bought them! No other reason in sight! Why would you even ask that?!

❤️ He, Undyne, and Frisk play ALOT of beach games, all far more extreme than their originals. The current turnomemt is over X-Treme volleyball, this time featuring antigravity magic and spears. Frisk is, somehow, winning.

❤️ A good portion of the time, he eats nice cream and makes sand castles with Flowey. Their creations are startlingly structurally sound and flourished. Though, they are also usually next to a life sized sand-Papyrus. No one knows where the sand came from.

❤️ He tried catch and realease shark fishing with Undyne once. It um, got interesting to say the least. Especially when they tried to use Papyrus as live bait. They only had to go to the ER twice!

Undyne (Aka my entire reason for writing this)

❤️ Undyne doesn’t love the ocean. She doesn’t even like the ocean. She ADORES the ocean. You can find her there almost every day after work, sun or storm. She never realized how much she would thrive in salt water until she was there, and now she can’t believe she lived without it. Its so raw and passionate and buetiful, and she’s just at home in the waves.

❤️ Her favorite time to be out is during a good storm, when the ocean is at her roughest. Undyne has learned how to boogie board and body surf since she got on the surface, and uses those huge waves to catch some air. She WANTS to learn how to surf, but has yet to find someone to teach her. Storms are also the best for letting the water roll over her and letting herself drift in the tides, both are pretty damn amazing feelings.

❤️ Because she can breathe and see under the water, she also likes to swim out really deep into the open ocean. No one in the family can follow, but it gives her a lot of time to think. Also, there are sometimes HUGE fish out there, which she greatly enjoys seeing and interacting with. She’s. she’s fought a tiger shark before. And probably other, larger and more dangerous things. (Also when she gets home, Alphys always talks about how her kisses taste like salt. Undyne loves it).

❤️ Before she became Asgore’s body gaurd, Undyne was pretty much out of work. Not a whole lot of people wanted a massive, sharp toothed, she-shark selling retail in their stores. But, being a fish and all, she got managed to get a job as a life gaurd over the summer! This ended in her actually giving swim lessons to a couple of kids (starting with Frisk)!! She is actually a pretty good trainer and still teaches a few kids every once in awhile over summer breaks.

❤️ Her and Asgore went on a fishing trip once! The boat nearly capsized, Undyne ended up going in to fish instead of using the pole, there were life lessons taught about patience, and Asgore got horrendously away sick. Needless to say, it was a good trip. They still have pictures on Asgore’s fridge!

Alphys

❤️ As much as her girlfriend loves it, she’s not actually a huge fan of the water. It’s overwhelming and dries out her scales, and when she’s in super deep it makes her really uncomfortable. She’s stared into oblivion before and, well, it’s not a good feeling. The deep sea reminds her of that.

❤️ That being said, she LOVES the beach itself. She could sun bathe for hours while Undyne is swimming. Just pop on her head phones, lay on the sand, and embrace her lizard heratage! Also, she likes to watch her hot girlfriend do hot things like catch fish in her teeth and throw skeletons, so it’s a win win.

❤️ Naturally, this means a lot of her and Undyne’s date end up at the beach one way or anouther. Every time they go now, Alphy makes a point of collecting a seashell. They all hang on a string over her bed, it’s her favorite part of the room.

❤️ More times than not, if the sand is particularly nice and warm, Alphys falls asleep on it. Like, hard core passed out asleep. She just loves the fluffy parts of the sand so much??? And it’s so comfortable??? And she’s gotten more than afew overheating from sleeping ALL day, but she can’t help herself. It’s just too cozy!

❤️ Her favorite thing about the ocean is always going to be seeing Undyne’s smile though. She loves it. She loves the way her girlfriend’s kisses taste after she’s been in the sea. She loves how content the girl is after a good swim, and how cuddly they get in the living room. She loves smelling the air and holding her hand and seeing the sun on the water. She wants to spend forever in her arms, on the sand, eating nice cream and watching the sun set.

Mettaton

❤️ So. He’s a robot. Alphys is currently working on waterproofing his body, but until then he’s shore bound. That doesn’t mean he won’t done his best sun hat and glasses, steal a life gaurd’s chair, and pose dramatically on the beach though!

❤️ Truth be told, he actually quite enjoys long walks on the beach. His boots are well protected enough to go a way into the water as well, so he takes them sometimes with Alphys. Also, night time on the beach holds SPECTACULAR song writing material! There’s something so inspirational about the atmosphere.

❤️ That being said, summer concerts are the bomb. Litterally. There’s pyrotechnics. He’s not as big a star as he was in the underground, but some local beach performances are well within his pay grade. The thrill of the stage! The cries of the people! The personality and connection to his adoring fans! The one time he crowd surfed! The fashion! It’s all just perfect!

❤️ He also frequents beach side shops, thanks to the atmosphere and outfit selection. One can NEVER go wrong with a floppy hat and a sheer coverup. It’s just impossible.

❤️ He relates WAY too hard to the little mermaid, both in the original story and Disney. There’s just something that hits too close to home about longing for humanity and a new, more comfortable body... He gets Ariel man, he gets her.

Asgore

❤️ He likes to go on long morning walks on the beach alone. There’s something comforting about the sun rise and the sound of the waves rolling around him. There’s something even more sweet about the rare conversations, only lasting a hello and small talk, all few and far between. Sometimes he finds himself wishing he had a dog to walk with him, but in the end decides against it. He’s been alone a long time, he can last one more day.

❤️ He really enjoys going shelling. Sometimes, he even likes to paint his finds and put them up in his windows. Frisk helps him, he likes that.

❤️ He’s become a vollenteer to help find and aid sea turtles’ hatch sites. He loves watching them hatch and get to the sea safely. Though he’s not supposed to, he’ll protect them from the gulls.

❤️ Thanks to being in so close to the sea, he had a brief phase of being rather in love with verities of seaweed and kelps. He tried to keep afew using water tanks, but could never quite get them right. Ah well, at least the petunias and roses are doing nicely.

❤️ He has a hard time reading or watching things about mermaids. They make him sad.

[gunterfan1992]

Episode Review: ‘Obsidian’ (Distant Lands, Ep. 2)

Airdate: November 19, 2020

Story by: Jack Pendarvis, and Kate Tsang, Adam Muto, & Hanna K. Nyström

Storyboarded by: Hanna K Nyström, Anna Syvertsson, Iggy Craig, Mickey Quinn, Maya Petersen, James Campbell, & Ashlyn Anstee

Directed by: Miki Brewster (supervising), Sandra Lee (art)

Of all the many colorful characters in Adventure Time perhaps none has a more elaborate backstory than Marceline the Vampire Queen. In many ways, Marceline really was the writers’ gold goose, engendering complex story after complex story. By the time the series ended, the vampire’s life had in more ways than one been woven into the very fabric of the show’s mythology.

But because I am a Marceline fanboy—whose zeal for her majesty is rivaled perhaps only by Glassboy himself—I always felt like the show could have done even more with her backstory; I mean, when the series finale aired, there were still plenty of questions that had yet to be answered (What happened to her mom? What is Simon going to do now that he’s “cured”? How did Marcy and Bubblegum meet? Were they romantically involved before the events of the main series? How did it all go south?). Nevertheless, when "Island Song” played for the last time at the end of “Come Along with Me,” I forced myself to push aside this minor, fannish grievance and applaud the show for writing such an excellent character. I didn’t need for every last detail of her life to be explicitly shown on screen. I was happy.

But then, about a year ago, news dropped that one of the Distant Lands specials would really delve into the history of Marceline and Bubblegum’s relationship. In an instant, I tossed my stoic “I-am-satisified-with-what-I-received” mentality right out the window. We were going to get another Marceline episode, and it was going to dive back into her elaborate backstory!?! I could barely contain my excitement as I waited for the episode to drop.

Well, was my excitement worth it? Or was “Obsidian” a big ol’ let down—a tragic victim to grandiose expectations that were never meant to be fulfilled?

I’m quite happy to say that not only was “Obsidian” a remarkable special in its own right, but it is arguably one of the strongest episodes of Adventure Time, period.

The plot of this episode is fairly standard, as far as Adventure Time episodes go: Glassboy (a new character voiced by Michaela Dietz, the voice of Amethyst from Steven Universe) accidentally sets a giant fire monster named Molto Larvo loose on the Glass Kingdom, and Marceline and Bubblegum—who we learn have been living their best cottagecore life together in Marcy’s cavehouse—are forced to save the day. But the series’ writers take this otherwise quotidian adventure idea—a story which, at least on paper, could have easily fit in during any of the show’s many seasons—and employ it as something of a Trojan Horse, using it as a pretense to delve into both Marcy’s traumatic childhood and her and Bubblegum’s romantic history. And, boy, is it a ride!

With regard to the former story thread, the audience learns that sometime after the Mushroom Bomb detonated, Marceline and her mother, Elise (voiced this time not by Rebecca Sugar, but by actress Erica Luttrell, who played Sapphire in Steven Universe), roamed the wastelands in search of shelter; after Marceline’s mother came down with some sort of sickness, she sent Marceline to be on her own. Elise was hoping that this would spare Marcy the trauma of seeing her mother die before her very eyes, but due to some communication issues, Marceline never learned what became of her mother. As such, Marceline began blaming herself for “leaving” her mom to die in the wreckage of the world. This plot thread is perhaps one of the bleakest that Adventure Time has ever explored, and the show does it masterfully, balancing the darkness (e.g., Marceline’s mother coughing up blood) with bright spots of comedy (e.g., the "wazzup” dog) that never feel distasteful.

Likewise, when it comes to the story thread about Marcy and Bubblegum’s romantic history, the special does not hold back. We get to see “Bubbline” at its best and its worst. I have a feeling that the word “fan service” is going to be used by a lot of folks when talking about this episode. As the AV Club writer William Hughes notes, this word is usually hurled around like a pejorative, but it aptly describes the appeal of “Obsidian”. After all, this episode really is “fan service at its finest”—not only does it give the ravenous shippers the story tidbits that they have so long to see (e.g., the moment Marcy gave Bubblegum her rock shirt, Bubbline’s epic break-up), but—and this is very important—it does so in a way that is fundamentally meaningful. “Obsidian” does not feel self-indulgent, unnecessary, or pandering. On the contrary, it is overflowing with deep emotion that allows us to better understand how Bubblegum and Marceline really feel about one another. Sure, over the centuries that the two gals have bummed around Ooo, they have bickered and fought, but deep down, their love is passionate. In many ways, it is like the titular obsidian, which means that nothing short of an enchanted diamond pickax is strong enough to break Bubbline apart for good.

(It’s also quite nice that after seasons and seasons of tip-toeing around the question of Marceline and Bubblegum’s sexuality, “Obsidian” can explicitly focus on their life together, showing the two characters cuddling, kissing, and dancing. In terms of LGBTQ+ representation, it’s a huge leap forward, and I’m so happy that Adventure Time has had a part to play in normalizing queer relationships!)

Marceline episodes almost always featured a catchy diddy, but "Obsidian” really cranks things up to 11 by featuring a whole bevy of catchy songs, several of which are perhaps among the show’s strongest. The first right banger, “It’s Funny,” is the song that plays over the special’s credits. With a grunge-meets-riot grrrl feels, this track really sets the tone for the episode, signaling to the audience that we’re in for, as Lumpy Space Princess once put it, some “drama bombs.” The next standout is “Woke Up,” a brutally honest diss track that Marceline used both to contain Molto Larvo and break up with Princess Bubblegum centuries prior to the start of this episode. This song was written by pop rocker Zuzu, and it—as the kids say—slaps. Layers of fuzzed-out guitar and digitally processed vocals are used expertly to sell Marceline’s emotions and convey how, on the surface, she’s delighted to no longer be under Bubblegum’s romantic spell... even if her heart may not be so sure.

But arguably, the musical jewel of the entire special is “Monster,” a somber ballad that Marceline sings to Bubblegum when they find themselves trapped in the collapsing furnace and are facing what they believe is certain death. Written by indie pop artist Half Shy, this song is, in many ways, something of the inverse of “Woke Up”: soft, happy, and filled to the brim with a sort of love that few are lucky to receive and even fewer can honestly express. Not only does “Monster” finally cement Marceline’s real, visceral love for Bubblegum in song form (remember: almost every prior Bubbline song was either indirect or delivered by an angsty, heartbroken Marceline), but it also “tames” Molto Larvo, allowing him to metamorphose into a strange but harmless cat-butterfly critter. Just like “Come Along with Me,” “Obsidian” proves that the power of love and music will save us in the end—if not physically, then at least emotionally.

Regarding the production-side of things, there’s a lot of praise to doll out. First off, the look and style of “Obsidian” is gorgeous. While “BMO” opted to experiment somewhat with the classic Adventure Time art style, trading cel shading for an almost watercolor feel, “Obsidian” echoes the aesthetic of the original series. That said, there’s an undeniable animation bump—likely courtesy of that sweet, sweet HBO money—that lets Ooo and its denizens shine in all their glory. You can tell that Adam Muto, art director Sandra Lee, supervising director Miki Brewster, and all the members of the production staff really went above and beyond the call of duty. The episode's soundtrack, composed by Amanda Jones, as deserves a shout-out. Jones did an excellent job mixing the chiptune style of the original series with a bass-heavy rock sound that highlights Marceline’s starring role. Bravo!

As another production aside, I should point out that CN/HBO’s decision to make these specials each 44 minutes was the right call. The 11 minute format of the original series often left something to be desired when it came to plot development, as many an important episode was forced to end somewhat prematurely due to time constraints; conversely, the 8-episode miniseries format that the show experimented with during its latter days sometimes felt like too much time (Stakes, Islands, and Elements all had whole episodes that felt like nothing more than the show treading water). The length of “Obsidian”, however, was just right, giving us plenty of time to take in what was happening without ever feeling like it was dragging.

A final aspect of this episode that is worth mention is its many call-backs to previous episodes and characters. “BMO” was mostly a self-contained story that, due to its nature as a prequel in space, really couldn’t reference the Land of Ooo without feeling forced. “Obsidian,” however, throws in everything and the kitchen sink (Adventure Time superfan and all-around cool person Jagm has collected most of them here for those of you who want to see everything laid out nicely). Stand-outs for me include Choose Goose (someone who we really haven’t seen since season five) smuggling sketchy products into the Candy Kingdom, post-Ice King Simon trying his hand at open mic nights, Bronwyn as an adventurous hero, and Finn the (Adult!) Human complete with beard and scars! Of note, Jake does not appear in this episode, except as a tattoo on Finn’s chest. Many in the fandom are now speculating that the events of “Obsidian” take place after our beloved shapeshifting dog’s death. Oh say it ain’t so! Perhaps we’ll learn more in “Together Again.”

Mushroom War Evidence: Unlike “BMO,” which directly referenced the Mushroom War and its fallout (both literally and figuratively), this episode returned to the show’s roots by featuring gobs of explicit hints in throw-away lines or elaborate background pieces. Honestly, there is far too many to list here in a pithy paragraph, but some major references include: the reveal that the Glass Kingdom, like the Fire Kingdom, was created by ‘magic’ blaze from the heavens (almost certainly a nuke); the fact that Marceline and her mother wandered for a time in the debris-filled wastelands following the apocalypse; and the reveal that Marceline spent at least part of her childhood holed up in a bomb shelter surrounded by the bones of myriad dead humans. Honestly, while references to the Mushroom War have always been sad footnotes to an otherwise cheery show; in this episode, however, the references are very graphic, illustrating the sorrow and horror of mutagenic war.

Final Grade: As I said earlier, I’m a Marcy fanboy, so I’m horrible biased, but I don’t care. This episode rocked. Q.E.D.

[nyadere]

Reposting this bc the link got messed up when I changed URLs!!

My all time favorite Destiel fics, in no particular order. (More to be added over time) {last updated 10/08/2019}

Too Much TV Will Rot Your Brain by EndlessRain Rating: G Words: 7397 Summary: “Angel?” John asked. He had been in Heaven for a pretty long time, and had been hunting even longer, and he never had heard of angels actually existing.

“Oh for God’s sake,” Ellen said, “That’s your kid’s boyfriend!”

Notes: A short, sweet fic with mostly humor and a bit of angst mixed in. – How (thanks to Gabriel) Dean and Castiel (accidentally) raised each other (and Sam). by Vera Rating: E Words: 69693 Summary: In which, Gabriel meddles with the time line and Castiel becomes Dean’s angel rather sooner than intended.

Notes: This is a must-read, the writing is perfect and the idea is also perfect. Throwing Castiel into the boy’s lives from the start and the dynamic it brings is such an interesting take on the story.

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Destiel, Actually by Bloodism Rating: E Words: 15973 Summary: Picture your typical rom-com cliché. Now picture Dean stuck in that rom-com cliché. With Castiel. Because that’s what happening to him - a crazy whirlwind of your typical-and-not-so-typical cliché’s. He’s playing the main lead in all of them and Castiel’s his counterpart. Of course, the culprit is obvious. Gabe’s enjoying himself too much, lying back on his favourite cloud with a tub of salted popcorn.

It was about time someone kicked the two knuckleheads into gear.

“And… ACTION!”

Notes: Funny & light-hearted, featuring everyone’s favorite trickster.

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Angel’s Wild by LimonadeGaby, riseofthefallenone Rating: E Words: 389271 Summary: But that’s the whole reason he’s here, isn’t it? He’s not out here hunting Humans. He’s not even hunting deer, or bears, or anything else that featured in Bambi. He’s out here, freezing his nuts off every night, because he’s hunting Angels.

Sometimes Dean wishes that Angels were like how they’re described in the Bible. How people from time too old for him to care much about thought Angels were messengers and warriors of God, protectors of Humans. He knows that how they’re really described in the Bible is actually pretty terrifying, but at least they were told by God that they’re supposed to love Humans, right?

That’s a thousand times better than what Angels really turned out to be.

Notes: Another must-read. This fic is a huge, long and a bit of a slow-burn but its so worth it. One of the first destiel fics I fell in love with, an immersive AU with fanart included.

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Things Dean Winchester Loves by tuesday Rating: M Words: 3623 Summary: Castiel makes a list, Sam gives good advice, and Dean takes a while to catch on.

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In the Shadow of your Wings by Enochian Things Rating: M Words: 57268 Summary: Dean drains his bottle of beer, sets it on the table and gets up, heading for the kitchen. Maybe to fetch another, maybe to leave. But Castiel doesn’t want him to go, doesn’t want to leave this conversation unfinished; he remembers his regret of just a few hours ago, that Dean had never known how he loved him.

“Wait,” he says and gets to his feet as Dean passes by. They’re standing close – close enough that Castiel can feel the heat of Dean’s body, the vibrancy of his soul brushing against his grace. “Dean, I have to tell you something…”

Set after the S11 finale.

Notes: another long, slow-burn. The buildup in this fic is fantastic, dealing with a jealous and in-denial Dean while poor Cas is dealing with his own feelings. This fic is so in-character I can see it happening in the actual show.

– Everything Comes Back To You by VioletHaze Rating: E Words: 32970 Summary: Dean knew better. Of course he did. But Cas seemed so charmed by the antique-filled bed and breakfast that Dean went along with it when the proprietor mistook them for a couple. Telling himself it gave them a strategic advantage to be so close to the crime scene, he agreed to the weekend special she offered them. When the case ended up being a bust, they stuck around anyhow because hey, the second night was free…

Notes: I love love loveeee this fic. Canon!verse with fake/pretend relationship. Dean in denial with mutual pining? Yes please. – Sam Winchester Sees the Light (And Dean’s Awkward Boner Face) by YamiTami Rating: G Words: 2447 Summary: Castiel is falling and he has to start doing human things to save energy. That means eating for sustenance, sleeping, and learning how to use a washing machine. This leads to a revelation.

Shamelessly inspired by a gifset of Misha putting a shirt on.

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The Mirror by cloudyjenn Rating: M Words: 24568 Summary: When Dean touches a strange mirror, he’s whisked away to one alternate reality after another and it doesn’t take him long to realize the universe is trying to tell him something.

Notes: This. fic. is. amazing. I love reading about AU versions of the boys and this one has plenty of variety. Cute with a bit of angst mixed in.

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In Your Sweet Little Bungalow by annodominique Rating: E Words: 13680 Summary: All things considered, Castiel has a house. All things considered, Castiel has a life. Without Dean.

It has been seven years since Sam died, seven years since Dean left Castiel, broken and human, and disconnected from humanity. Cas had to cope on his own somewhere along the way. He chose a little town of Oregon to settle in.

Seven years, and Dean shows up at his door on a chilly February night, saying the stupidest set of words to ever be said to Castiel’s face.

“I was–just passing by the neighborhood. Thought I’d drop by…to see you.”

And Cas doesn’t know what to do.

Notes: This fic is so angsty but so worth it.

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When the Bough Breaks by captainshakespear, deanisthesun Rating: M Words: 73963 Summary: Years after the Darkness has been defeated, Dean and Cas are living the apple pie life in small-town Kansas. They don’t hunt anymore, and would like to keep it that way, but some young hunters knocking at their door have different plans.

Dean, Cas and Sam reluctantly agree to help out, but what ought to be a simple case becomes way more complicated and dangerous than they counted on. And when the hunt starts to invade the normal lives they’ve carved out for themselves and their kids, Dean and Cas begin to wonder if escaping the hunting life altogether might have been wishful thinking.

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Home is Where by ChasingRabbits Rating: E Words: 15170 Summary: Casual vagrant Dean Winchester blows into Palo Alto to check on his little brother. What is meant to be a quick visit ends up drawing out when he meets and accidentally ends up clicking with Sam’s strange, grad student roommate Castiel.

Notes: non-canon verse AU where Cas has Asperger’s and is Sam’s roommate, this fic is very cute.

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Out of the Deep by riseofthefallenone Rating: E Words: 488608 Summary: Stay away from the light-beds. Stay in the deep.

It is the first thing hatchlings are taught the moment their fans unfurl and they can swim without their parents to buoy them along. It is the first rule, the first law. It is the beginning of every boogey-monster bedtime story told when they settle against the cliffs to sleep.

Castiel should have listened better.

Notes: I cannot express how much I love this fic. Another huge AU with copious amounts of fanart and detail. Slow-burn, Merfolk AU. I will admit I was hesitant to read this at first as I don’t usually like mermaid/merfolk AUs but this story is so beautifully written and the attention to detail is amazing. Riseofthefallenone never ceases to amaze me.

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Going Postal by captainbarnes Rating: Not Rated Words: 6799 Summary: Castiel,

Hi. My name’s Dean, just Dean — that’s all you’re getting out of me.

I don’t really know what else to say, I’m not good at this and I really don’t want to talk much. But it’s for a grade, and I’m already flunking English, so I guess I don’t have a choice.

Your name is weird as fuck.

— Dean

Dean Winchester and Castiel Novak became pen pals because of a school assignment, and they tried not to get attached to one another. They really did. Sort of. Barely.

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King of the Road by loversantiquities Rating: E Words: 15890 Summary: Contracted out by the local police in Moriarty, New Mexico, Dean is sent to investigate the happenings around a church outside of town, the Angel-worshiping congregation reportedly flocking to the location in recent days. As it turns out, though, instead of snake charmers or devil worshipers, Dean finds an Angel crucified to the cross, said Angel unreasonably snarky despite being tied up against his will.

Turning over Castiel to the authorities, though, doesn’t work in Dean’s favor. With nowhere to go and Heaven having abandoned him, Dean agrees to haul Castiel across the country on two conditions–he doesn’t smoke in the car, and he doesn’t rob convenience stores in broad daylight.

God, Dean might actually kill him before this is over.

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Rock of Ages by winter_of_our_Discontent Rating: T Words: 7430 Summary: It starts because they need a rock. Not, of course, just any rock, but apparently this particular critter needs an Aztec-style obsidian-and-jade dagger right through its human-teeth-and-eyeball-eating heart to actually kill it.

In which Cas gets a ring, and Dean (finally) gets a clue.

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So There It Is, I’ve Said It All by PorcupineGirl Rating: G Words: 3898 Summary: “Why, do you have something you need to say to me that you don’t think I’ll like?”

I think I’m in love with you.

“Yeah. I guess so.“

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Receipts by surlybobbies Rating: T Words: 1391 Summary: He’s about to put the receipt down, no harm done, when something about it catches his eye. Pen ink, on the back. He flips it around and reads:

With Dean. He shared his pie with me. His smile was radiant.

Dean stares. Reads it again. Nothing’s changed.

What? -

The Fourth Wall by entanglednow

Rating: T-E (this is a series so different parts have different ratings)  Words: 40,339 Summary:  (There’s not an exact summary for the whole thing since its a series of 15 different works but basically the boys discover fanfiction about themselves and things get wild) I can’t believe I didn’t add this one before but its one of my all time favorites! I’ve read it multiple times because its just that good. Lighthearted and funny. This series also includes Samifer which I’m a big fan of (but if you’re not into that each part is appropriately tagged so you can skip over it). 

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Someone Who’s Feeling For Me by ellispark Rating: M  Words: 45,876 Summary:  Dean sees her for the first time in nearly six years in some no-name town in Idaho, and it's panic at first sight. Lisa Braeden, the one woman Dean ever actually had a shot at a real life with, back from where he buried her in his mind. And her hand is on Cas's arm like it's no big deal, like it belongs there. Cas, Dean's dorky, sweet, badass, angelic best friend, and he's just standing there next to Lisa and not moving her hand away. Dean feels the jealousy rising, and it's not directed where he expected it to be. Because it takes this exact moment for Dean to realize he's in love with his best friend. He's in love with his best friend, and Lisa is looking at Cas like he's the best thing since automatic rifles, and Dean is utterly fucked.  Notes: Lots of pining, supportive Sam, angst with a happy ending, the good shit.  - Everyone is Trying to Get to the Bar by Balder12 Rating: E Words: 8,111 Summary:  Dean still has enemies in Heaven. True!form Castiel to the rescue!

Notes: I love true!form cas fics and this one is written beautifully, the ending seemed a little rushed to me but other than that I really enjoyed this fic.

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As You Pass Through Me by wannaliveindeansdimples Rating: E Words: 30,548 Summary: Cas has lived in this house all his life... and since his untimely death. The last thing he wants is a new roommate, but it seems he's getting one anyway.

Notes: a wonderful non-canonverse AU with ghost!Cas....but there’s a twist! This fic is incredibly cute and entertaining and makes me smile everytime I read it. There’s a little bit of what could be considered dub-con in a few chapters but before said chapters the author usually has a note at the beginning.

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[thekillingquill]

Wolves of War

Characters: Scott McCall, Chris Argent, OC/Reader Warnings: Violence. Summary: A 17-year-old girl in a small rural town has no business being apart of any war, let alone one between humans and supernaturals. However, she doesn’t have the luxury of a choice when an Alpha comes recruiting. A/N: Blurb #2 for the January Challenge. I tried a new style. Sorry in advance if the style didn’t work out.

“Everyone knew that a dog backed into a corner bites. I’d just never actually considered that the dog could be me.” — Kristen Simmons

There is always something needin’ to be done on a ranch. PawPaw’s part, and the part of all the men in my family, was always the cattle and the fixin’ of whatever was broke down that day. MawMaw kept the house, the family, and the books in order and bred the dogs.

My contribution to the farm for as long as I could remember was workin’ with animals. The feedin’ and the groomin’ plus the trainin’. But the dogs and the chickens? Those were my responsibilities alone ever since I could walk, talk and carry a pail. Folks born into the Saracen family learnt about responsibilities early on in life. Ya do your part--ain’t no other way to be gettin’ by in a town as small as ours.

If it hadn’t been for the dang dogs I woulda never been outside that night, never woulda crossed paths with that red eyed monster, never woulda become a monster myself.

“The war is coming,” the monster said with the face of a man--and he had this look about him that I’d seen in critters caught in a trap: terror. Then I was the one whose face was fulla terror, because he wasn’t a man no more, he was all red eyes and sharp teeth--lungin’ for my shoulder.

When I woke up I was in the barn with straw and dirt stuck all over me, glued to my skin with sticky blood, but there weren’t no mark to be seen. I didn’t know yet that I was a monster--didn’t know how dangerous I could be.

Life was one big adrenaline rush: I was hearin’ better, seein’ further, movin’ faster and liftin’ heavier loads with no effort at all. It sounds good on paper, but there were bad things happenin’ to me, too. I broke door handles and scared the animals--the dogs growlin’ every time I came near the kennels, the horses shyin’ away.

And then there was the howlin’ at night. The call of that wild sonuvabitch who speaks of a war and a need for preparation--the monster, the man, the Alpha I can’t ignore. Every dang night callin’ me to the woods to meet with the pack--a ragtag group of misfits rangin’ in age from thirteen to thirty-eight. Puttin’ me through his trainin’ regime ‘cause we’re being’ hunted. Well, I wasn’t bein’ hunted before he bleedin’ bit me.

But now here I am, runnin’ for my gaw’dang life while gunfire echoes through the woods behind me. I can still see the arrow protrudin’ outta the red eyed monster’s chest. There was this beat of oppressive silence and then the twang of another loosed arrow, the poppin’ of gunfire and the sound of dirt and rocks kicked up by our feet--leaderless wolves on the run for our dang lives.

I didn’t realize where I was runnin’ to ‘til I was nearly there. A girl feels safest at home with her family, but I’d be leadin’ these hunters straight to ‘em. With my heart poundin’ I could barely hear anythin’ comin’ up behind me, but I knew they were there. I felt like if I could just get home, if I could just reach the barn, I could shake the hunters.

You could try fightin’ a little voice growls in the back of my mind. It sounds an awful lot like the monster. The monster who tried to fight and is more’n likely dead by now. How many of us have been taken down? Am I the last one runnin’ am I the last? Fight, flight or hide, them’s my only options.

Bark is blown off the tree in front of me, and I instinctively move myself lower to the ground, weavin’ and bobbin’ as much as I can to get outta range. I’m suddenly out in the open, in the field leadin’ to the ranch. I start sprintin’ full out toward the barn, hopin’ I can make it there faster than any bullet aimed my way. I don’t put much stock in hopin’ but maybe there’s somethin’ to it, because I make it to the barn without incident.

Maybe I’ll make it outta this thing alive--maybe my life don’t have to be based around this war. Maybe tomorrow things’ll be normal and I’ll do the feedin’ and the groomin’ and the trainin’ of the animals--we got a new batcha pups that need attendin’ to. I grip the sides of the ladder and launch myself up several steps, headin’ to the shadowy parts of the rafters above to wait this out.

The waitin’ feels like an eternity, and a minute, an icy winter and a swelterin’ summer all rolled up together in some sort of confusin’ paradox of time. How long ‘til it’s safe to crawl out of the shadows? I try focusin’ my senses, but new skills take their time to develop. Frankly I hadn’t been tryin’ too hard to learn, resentful as I am about the situation--somethin’ I find myself feelin’ regretful over.

I’m about to bite the bullet, so to speak, and crawl outta my hidin’ spot when the door to the barn is blown off it’s dang hinges! The smell of gunpowder wafts into the room moments before the weak beam of a flashlight at the end of a huntin’ rifle comes around the corner ahead’uv the man wearin’ dark clothes. He’s got these goggles on his head--possibly for night vision.

My chest tightens with fear when the beam passes over my hidin’ spot. I’m thankin’ my dumb luck when it passes over me and the man starts to exit. Except that he ain’t leavin’. Next thing I know somethin’ is hittin’ the hay beside me. It takes me a moment to realize it’s some kinduv explosive. The adrenaline hits me so hard that I don’t bother with the ladder, just launch myself off the rafters as fast and as far as I can before it detonates.

I hit the ground on my side, breakin’ my shoulder if the crack and the blindin’ pain is anythin’ to go by. The blast puts a dang hole in the roof and in my pain fueled daze all I’m thinkin’ is how much that’s gonna cost the ranch and how much time my kin are gonna spend fixin’ it up tomorrow. I roll onto my back, clutchin’ my shoulder when the man in black stands over me, his goggles discarded. My mouth opens in surprise--’cause standin’ over me with a rifle is my third grade teacher and nearest neighbour, Mr. Wilcox. The man who taught me my multiplyin’ is gonna put a bullet between my eyes.

“How does that saying go?” A deep voice says from the gapin’ hole where the barn door used to be. Mr. Wilcox turns his head toward the voice, but I keep my eyes focused on his gun. “Pick on someone your own size?”

I tried runnin’ and I tried hidin’. I ain’t doin’ it no more. It’s time to give fightin’ a chance. With my good arm, I swipe at Mr. Wilcox’s rifle roarin’ with a previously untapped rage. The hand that makes contact with the barrel of his rifle is lethal with extended claws. Mr. Wilcox lets out a yell of surprise and the gun goes off harmlessly above my head, puttin’ another hole in the barn. With another roar, I kick at his legs, keepin’ a good grip on the barrel of his gun until he goes down and loses his grip. There ain’t anythin’ graceful about the way I scramble to my feet, but I got his dang gun in my hands.

In a fit of rage, I pull the gun back and hit him as hard as I can in the head. I can hear his skull fracture under the force, and it’s that sound that snaps me outta it. My rage becomes fear and disgust. I can taste Mr. Wilcox’s blood in the air, its smell surroundin’ me. I hear the crunch of boot on straw and remember that I ain’t exactly been alone this whole time.

With faster reflexes than I believed possible, I bring the rifle up and aim it at the threat I nearly forgot about. He’s a man in his forties, but he ain’t no local. I know everyone in this town and they know me. With Mr. Wilcox’s rifle trained on him, he lifts on hand from his gun, letting the barrel point toward the ground.

“I’m not here to hurt you.” He says in a steady voice. I’d be inclined to believe him, except that my third grade teacher just had this rifle pointed at my head.

“Put it down.” I growl. I ain’t never spoken disrespectfully to my elders before. Now I’ve gone and cracked one’s skull and am aimin’ a rifle at another. MawMaw would be so disappointed in me if she knew. The man slowly lowers to a crouch, placing his gun to the floor. It ain’t no huntin’ rifle--looks military grade to me.

Now that he’s disarmed, I don’t know what to do. I could circle around him and leave, but where would I go? He knows where I live. I don’t know if he’s friend or foe. I see movement out of the corner of my eye, and I’m so dang jittery that my finger squeezes the trigger. I hiss as the kickback knocks against my injured shoulder. The bullet misses the man but had to have grazed a boy who can’t be much older than I am. His features have briefly twisted into a grimace and a hand presses on his arm. I can’t tell if the blood I’m smellin’ is his or Mr. Wilcox’s.

He’s got them glowin’ red eyes trained on me. They don’t seem as monstrous on him as they did on the guy that bit me. He’s got what MawMaw would refer to as an honest face, but I ain’t about to lower this rifle based on that.

“We’re not here to hurt you.” He says with the kinda voice I use when an animal is in distress: calm and soothin’. Each step he takes is deliberately slow and he keeps both hands up high where I can see ‘em. I don’t want this to relax me any, but I can feel the tension leavin’ parts of my body.

“Who are you?” I ask for lack of anything better to say. I know he’s an Alpha, but I don’t know what he’s doin’ here or who those people shootin’ at me were. With the exception of Mr. Wilcox, of course. Are all of my neighbours in on this?

“My name is Scott McCall, and this is Chris Argent. We came here tonight because we’d heard there was a pack in hiding.” The reminder of the pack sets my teeth on edge.

“He was preparin’ for war. I didn’t ask for this life.” Scott takes another step toward me and I train the rifle at his head, though I don’t think I have it in me to shoot him.

“How old are you?” He asks in that same soothin’ tone of voice.

“Seventeen,” I answer quickly, adjusting my grip on the rifle. Scott picks up on my silent warnin’ and doesn’t come any closer.

“I was two years younger than you when I was out in the woods with my best friend. We got separated and an Alpha named Peter Hale bit me and changed my life forever. I get the feeling that you know what I’m talking about.” The thing is, I do know.

“I ain’t ever gonna be safe again, am I?” Scott’s hands lower to his sides.

“That really depends on you. We came here tonight to try to save your pack. Your Alpha is gone. Best case scenario is that your packmates are like you: hiding or on the run from hunters. Worst case scenario is that they’ve been captured or put down. You’ve got a choice to make now. You can come with us and we can help you learn to fight back against the hunters. Or we can help you find a safe place.”

“I can’t stay here.” I say, because it ain’t a question. I knew as soon as the arrow pierced the monster’s chest that life as I knew it was over. It’s just a matter of what to do from now.

“Now that they’ve found you, they won’t stop coming. I’m sorry.” I was expectin’ Scott to answer, but this came from Chris. Despite his more brusque way of speakin’ I got the sense that he really was sorry.

“What happened to my family?” I ask, because surely someone woulda come out to investigate the gunfire and the explosion by now. Someone shoulda been out settlin’ the horses and the dogs--all of which are awake and cryin’ out in a panic.

“They’re safe.” Chris answers. “Everyone in a 20 mile radius has been evacuated because of a suspected gas leak.”

They must have been so worried when I wasn’t in my bed.

“Will I be able to see them before I go?” I look to Scott for the answer, because I think he’ll give it to me gentler than his partner. I find the sympathy I wanted in his puppy dog eyes.

“We have to keep moving. The longer we stay the better the chance that the hunters pick up our trail.” I swallow this down, because I’m a Saracen and I’m used to tough breaks.

“We can let you write a note,” Chris concedes bendin’ down to pickup his gun. “You can tell your family that you’ve run away and that you’re safe. But we’ve gotta go now. There are still hunters running around those woods looking for strays. It’s time for you to make your choice”

I tried runnin’ and I tried hidin’.

“I wanna fight.” I tell them, lowein’ the rifle.

Scott smiles at me, and I know that this decision is right. I hid, I ran, I fought and I survived the night, but ain’t everyone been as lucky as me. I never wanted this life, but I got it and I’m gonna dang well do somethin’ with it.

I’m gonna fight.

The January Challenge

Every day in the month of January I will post a blurb or one-shot based on or inspired by a quote. How is this challenging? Every time I sit down to write a 500-800 blurb things get out of hand and suddenly I have a 3 part 18K fic on my hands! This challenge is meant to help me learn to write shorter pieces. Every pieces should be under 3K words.

Please note that I will NOT be doing a tag list for the January Challenge.

[survival0001-blog]

How To Survive Animal Attacks

New Post has been published on https://outdoorsurvivalqia.com/awesome/how-to-survive-animal-attacks/

How To Survive Animal Attacks

Learn how to survival animal attacks with this guide and live to tell your survival narrative!

RELATED: Wild Animal Attacks | What To Do When Attacked By Ferocious Brutes

In this article :P TAGEND

Protecting Yourself from Animal Attacks

Bear Attack Wolf Attack Cougar Coyote Rabid Raccoon Shark Attack Crocodile or Alligator Piranha Jellyfish Rattlesnake Scorpion Killer Bee Lion Attack Hippo Attack Elephant Gorilla

How to Survive Animal Attacks in the Wild

Click here to learn more about how to survive ANY animal attack!

Protecting Yourself from Animal Attacks

Animal attacks are one of the most terrifying survival situations to find yourself in. From large animals like pumas, bears, and sharks, to smaller ones like snakes, bees, and scorpions, you need to know how to protect yourself from these wild animals.

1. Bear Attack

How to Survive a Grizzly Bear Attack…

Real world application , not YouTube expertise, make adventuring in grizzly country a little safer.

https :// t.co/ SEtijPMG5j #bears #grizzlies pic.twitter.com/ noHTlCAA1M

— Wade (@ Intrepid_Daily) March 12, 2019

Try to avoid an encounter with a bear any style you can. While very rare, bear attacks can be fatal, especially grizzly and polar bear.

If a bear approaches, you never try to run because even the most wonderful man on earth can never outrun these majestic animals. While it takes a lot of willpower, try to stand still and avoid eye contact.

A pepper spray will also help. So if you want to wander away from your camp, make sure to bring one with you.

To avoided a bear assault or get away with it unscathed, you have to know a whole lot of bear safety and awareness tips-off here. There isn’t one trick to do it, so try to learn more about bears and bear attacks.

If you love camping in the mountains, all the more reason you should learn how to survive a bear attack.

2. Wolf Attack

Wolves, in general, taken to avoid human beings and are not by nature aggressive toward humans. These attacks largely come from rabid wolves — wolves that feel threatened and wolves protecting their pups.

The factors for their aggressivenes may come into play while you are outdoors. If you assure one though, do not stimulate eye contact and walk stealthily away from it as much as you can.

Do not bolt out operating also but try this trick: try to look bigger and intimidating. If it comes to a fight, try to get hold of a weapon and make sure to protect your face and neck.

3. Cougar

The Latest: Man’s condition in fatal cougar assault upgraded https :// t.co/ jJeUtVTAub pic.twitter.com/ HzjlvyBq4a

— kcranews (@ kcranews) May 20, 2018

With pumas or mountain lions’ recent growth in population, chances of an encounter may increase compared to a decade ago. Pumas are majestic beasts that some people even go out of their route to see one.

You never want to meet one though, let alone a close encounter/ attack, but you will want to know more about mountain lion and how to avoid or survive an encounter.

If you do encounter a mountain lion or cougar, maintain eye contact with this one. In fact, never take your eyes off the animal as you walk away slowly to safety with your basis covered.

If a puma approaches you, prepare to fight with all your might while walking away. This time, be on the offensive and act like the predator and it, the prey.

4. Coyote

Attacks by coyote are very rare but you’ll want to avoid it at all cost, especially from rabid ones. Pets and kids are more vulnerable to attacks, and coyotes will attack behind your backs.

Coyotes would rather operate than oppose. That’s why you can be aggressive with them. Coyotes are sometimes misstep for wolves, so you need to know the difference to applied the right safety measures.

5. Rabid Raccoon

While raccoons are known to be shy beasts you want to avoid encounters, especially from the rabid ones. Increasing habitat encroachment also increased encounters with these furry critters.

Reports of raccoon assaults are not fairly sights for sure, so build your home or campsite as raccoon-proof as you perhaps can. If you do get bitten, clean your meanders with soap and water, and try medical help right away.

6. Shark Attack

We need not stress enough the dangers of sharks since media/ pop culture hype has done that already. It is likely though and you want to avoid it at all cost and “know what youre talking about” to survive a shark attack.

If you assure a shark, swimming to the nearest shore but try not to call attention by flapping about and creating huge splashings. If you’re somewhat from shore, look for a blunt object you can use to defend yourself from the shark.

7. Crocodile or Alligator

Keep calm and stay alive: Marine biologist @mcmsharksxx survives giant #crocodile attack https :// t.co/ FChlqi8Ak 8 pic.twitter.com/ 4nr1RWaoSz

— Sputnik (@ SputnikInt) July 28, 2018

Crocodile attacks, much like sharks are also the stuff of movies and pop culture, so when it comes to awareness, perhaps nothing more can be said. Yet, with the hype comes misinformation so learn facts about crocodiles or alligators first before you get so unlucky and get attacked by one.

To avoid an encounter, beware of crocodile-infested waters. If you find yourself with crocodiles, swim to shore without attracting their attention. If it comes to a fight, go for the snout and eyes to survive the alligator attack.

8. Piranha

The chances of a piranha encounter are only possible in the rivers of South America. So for adventurers and survivalists, the opportunities are likely indeed.

If you are planning on an adventure down south, learn more about piranhas before you wind up in piranha-infested water. There is no proof of piranha killing humans but they can injure you severely, even out of the water.

If you’re in the water, avoid creating big splashes and be careful when fishing for piranha because its razor-sharp teeth will need you some stitches.

RELATED: Tips On How To Survive In The Wild | Defending Against Animal Attack

9. Jellyfish

Wherever there is saltwater, you can find jellyfish. So if you like reaching the beach, there is a good chance of getting jellyfish stinging. Out of the hundreds of jellyfish species, five are considered most dangerous and must be avoided.

Sometimes, it cannot be avoided, so make sure to wear jellyfish-repellent lotion. If you get stung though, don’t scratch the component or you’ll release more toxins.

Don’t rinsed it off with fresh water but use saltwater instead. And no, pee doesn’t run! You can also neutralize the venom with vinegar, baking soda, or meat tenderizer.

10. Rattlesnake

Snakes are common around the world and the rattlesnake is native to the Americas. While not included in the list of deadliest snakes, rattlesnakes are one of the most dangerous so you want to avoid it, too.

Rattlesnakes will give you a favor through giving you a warning with its distinct rattle, hence the name. Still, you might find yourself unlucky and get bitten.

If you do get bitten, do not use an ice pack on the area, do not drink alcohol, and never do this cut and suck the blood out. It will induce matters worse.

Instead, keep the bitten area still and remove all things that will hinder blood flow. Then, call for help at once.

11. Scorpion

Attack of the murderer scorpion pic.twitter.com/ fQsJMVqwk8

— | Sam | (@ samgalajian) August 27, 2013

While scorpion stings are not life-threatening in general, you will want to avoid the scorpion bark stinging, especially in adults and the elderly. People have come to dread all scorpions as if they are the feared Arizona bark scorpion, so it’s good to know a little bit more about scorpions.

If you do get stung by the dreaded Arizona bark scorpion, send for help at once.

12. Killer Bee

Killer Bee Attack: Science Explains Man’s Death https :// t.co/ ChT5 5F039B pic.twitter.com/ H0cZC5EqV0

— Live Science (@ LiveScience) August 24, 2016

With a name like a killer bee, it will strike fear upon people indeed, especially when you are misinformed. It is wise to know more about this honey-producing insect indeed before you go on the offense.

If you come across these bees though and killer bees assault in swarms, operate as far away from it as you can. Try to cover your head and most of the face too as you run.

Do no use your fingers or tweezers to remove the stingers but use a charge card or other dull blades to rub them off. If you have allergies, seek medical attention at once.

13. Lion Attack

Although lions live in Africa, we’ve find and heard reports of lion attacks in zoos, and they are not pretty. You may also find yourself with lions in Africa, so try to learn some facts about lions first, before you forget in your excitement.

Lions do attack and to survive one, go with your animal instinct and opposed it with all of your might. Try to look big and intimidate and never play dead or curl in a fetal position.

14. Hippo Attack

Again, you may find yourself in Africa where hippos live, but you don’t want an encounter with these seemingly harmless yet in truth dangerous animals. They can bite through crocodiles and humans don’t stand a chance.

There is a very slim chance of your surviving a hippo assault, so try distancing yourself from these animals. If they so as much approach you, run and conceal or climb a tree. It is very important to learn how to survive a hippo attack.

15. Elephant

Most of us wouldn’t take an elephant for a dangerous animal. They live among humans in many parts of the world after all, like India, Thailand, and Africa where we go to experience and encounter these majestic beings.

For different reasons, they can turn on humans, too, and that is dangerous. If an elephant charges at you, try to climb a tall tree.

If an elephant assaults you, do not curl in a fetal posture. Grab the tusks so you can use that is something that escape the situation and try not getting stabbed.

16. Gorilla

An encounter with an angry mountain gorilla is another one of those you can only experience in their territory. But who knows what you’ll get into next so it pays to know more about animals including gorillas.

Avoid being insured by a gorilla but if you find yourself in the situation, don’t try to intimidate them because they won’t be. Run into a submissive posture instead, avoid contact, and don’t run.

Now you know what to do when you encounter wild animals. You’ve also learned another aspect of survival, which is self-defense from animal attacks.

Learning how to survive in the wild also includes survival from animal attacks in their territory. Your know-how in animal assaults is one of the important survival skills indeed!

Have you any knowledge or proven tips-off and tricks on how to survive animal attacks or avoid it in the first place? Let us know in the comments segment below!

Up Next :P TAGEND

Beach Animal To Watch Out For When On Vacation 11 Tips to Avoid Being Assaulted By an Animal What to Do When Animals Attack

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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on December 17, 2015, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.

Read more: survivallife.com

[recentanimenews]

THE GREAT CRUNCHYROLL NARUTO REWATCH Leaves The Forest With Episodes 36-42

Welcome to THE GREAT CRUNCHYROLL NARUTO REWATCH! I'm Daniel Dockery aka That Dude That Won't Shut Up About One Piece, and I'll be your host this week as we make our way through all 220 episodes of the original Naruto. Last week, we covered episodes 29-35, and we continue this week with episodes 36-42.

This week, the theme is Leaving The Forest For Some Rad One-On-Ones. The next stage of the Chunin exam starts as the passing teams leave the Forest of Death and are now randomly placed in a series of one-on-one fights. Those that have watched the show know that we're basically counting down to Rock Lee's classic fight against Gaara, but there are some fights here that shouldn't be ignored, particularly the one involving Sakura and Ino. But we'll get to that soon. For now, let's dive right in and talk about the hot button political issue that's on everyone's minds these days: shadow clones. 

How do you feel about the use of clones in Naruto? I remember not liking them for some weird reason back in high school, but now I like how dynamic they can make the action scenes sometimes. Do you think they're overused? Have a lot more potential?

Paul: I wouldn't say Naruto's Shadow Clone technique is over-used. They keep allowing enough time to pass that I forget it's his main technique, and they also keep coming up with creative ways to use it (exploding a giant snake from within, disguising as a giant shuriken, disguising as his team mates to get the drop on an enemy, etc.), so I like how it's a fairly well-defined power that is made interesting by the versatile ways Naruto uses it to solve problems.

  Joseph: Yeah, it's used creatively enough and it's a cool technique to begin with. I just feel bad for the animators who realize they need to draw a dozen of the same character fighting a dozen of another character for an upcoming scene.

  Kevin: I am literally counting every single shadow clone each week, so clearly you were not alone in thinking that they are overused. Personally, I quite like that Naruto actually tries to be clever with how he uses them, transforming them to overcome an otherwise difficult situation several times already. Later on, we'll see other uses, and both Shippuden and Boruto expand on the idea even further, so there is a lot of untapped potential to come.

    Kara: I've seen them used creatively, which is kind of neat. At the same time, that creative use of them has made me super paranoid. We've seen Clone Jutsu combined with the Transformation Technique on multiple occasions already. It's made for some cool diversions and unexpected wins, but I'm getting to a point where I'm not even sure who's really onscreen in battles. If that's the point, fair play to the creators.

  David: For now it's ok, used sparingly and diversely enough that when it is the "twist" in a fight I'm usually into it. Genjutsu as a whole is more what I have a problem with, especially as the series goes on - when nothing you are looking at is ever necessarily even real, it can become hard to get invested in fights.

  Peter: I'm noticing a lot more my second round though how Naruto uses them only exclusively for deception. Just about every real threat can KO Naruto pretty easily so it's all about misdirection. One thing I'm loving about Boruto is that he uses them a lot more kinetically, redirecting and accelerating himself in various ways using his clones and wind jutsu as springboards. It's a cool twist.

  Jared: If the clones were an overpowered ability, it'd probably be much worse, but as it stands, I think they're fine. Especially since for the most part they've been used for deception in Naruto's case. The only times when it feels excessive is when Naruto creates a butt ton of clones and they aren't that effective, outside of blowing up a big snake.

  Danni: I wouldn't say they're overused. Every ninja in this show seems to have their one "thing" they're great at, we just see the Shadow Clones the most since Naruto is the protagonist. I do hope he develops more techniques as he gets more experience as a ninja, but for now I'm content seeing how creatively he uses his clones.

  Nate: I always love seeing simple abilities used in creative ways, and since the idea of Shadow Clones are so synonymous with the idea of a "ninja" in fiction, it's cool to see Naruto use them so extensively. Also as Peter pointed out, it's really cool to see the different ways Naruto, and later Boruto, individually use Shadow Clones.

  Carolyn: I don't mind them, for the most part. It does occasionally become a bit much, but I think they generally do a good job of creating danger without simply overwhelming the scene with nothing but clones.

  Noelle: I think they're pretty alright. I feel like a 'special move' only becomes repetitive when it's used in the same way, over and over again, but the series is doing a good job of avoiding that. Every time Naruto's clones come out, he uses them in a different way, so it's still unpredictable how they will be used. As long as they don't become one-note, I don't have any issue.

  Well, the Forest of Death is over. How did you like it? Think you could pass it? Have any recommendations for streamlining or expanding the next Forest of Death phase?

  Paul: There's no way I would pass The Forest of Death; I'd get eaten by leeches or a giant snake within the first 10 minutes. My only recommendation for streamlining the experience would be not to stuff a recap episode right before it gets going, because it breaks the rhythm of the story arc.

  Joseph: If anything, the anime could have built upon this test without venturing too deep into filler territory. I would have liked to see more of the natural dangers of the forest, AKA more of those massive centipedes. The one thing Naruto's world is missing so far is a sense of peril outside of the ninja-versus-ninja action.

    Kevin: Easiest answer first: I'd die immediately. As for whether I liked it: it is enjoyable to watch, but it is probably the weakest of the tests, largely due to the overlapping stories making each individual thread more difficult to follow. For streamlining the test, I would recommend introducing Orochimaru earlier, maybe as the leader of the Sound ninja like how he appears in the third test preliminaries room, so that all of his plot stuff can start before the Forest of Death, and so more time can be devoted to the Genins' actual survival and tracking.

  Kara: I can't pretend I wouldn't have tried to sneak a peek at my scroll and thought I was being super stealthy about it. I'd just be lying out there like a free snack for the forest critters.

  David: I enjoyed it overall but if I were to change one thing it would actually be to put Orochimaru later; the intensity of that conflict incidentally wound up mostly overshadowing everything that came after it. Really a nitpick though, because other than that I have nothing but good things to say. The Sound Ninja sure are cool.

  Peter: Lowkey love the forest more than the subsequent tournament(s). Putting characters against one another in a featureless room is one thing, but juggling multi-person fights in a massive, multi-level forest environment is something else. You absolutely cannot skip this arc. Sasuke vs Orochimaru is one of the best fights in the series and Sakura gets one of her best moments. OK, maybe after the Sound trio fight...

  Jared: I'm a goner like thirty minutes into this test. Some big bug's gonna come across me and I'm just gonna fall over and tap out. The only thing I could see being expanded upon is just the actual forest being more of a threat since most of those kind of just get taken care of fairly quickly and moved on from.

    Danni: If you told me that I have to spend five days in a forest I would give up before the test even began. I really enjoyed this part of the exams. It not only had some fantastic fights but also some of the best character moments in the show. It really gave more of the rookies time to shine, which I appreciated. I think the one change I would make would be to stop letting super murderous legendary ninjas infiltrate it and attack the genin. Someone really should have said something.

  Carolyn: I mean, I've never even been camping ...

  Noelle: I think I enjoyed Forest of Death better upon the rewatch than I did originally. My first run as a kid, I knew plot-important stuff happened, but it wasn't what I was interested in, so I didn't care for it much. That's still pretty true- it's not my favorite portion of the Chuunin Exams, but looking at it with an analytical eye vs purely consuming it has done it some favors. Would I survive the exam? It's not impossible, but I can't say my chances look good.

  We're now beginning a string of one-on-one matches, which is honestly something that I've been waiting for since Naruto began. First time watchers: Did you think that there would be more at this point?

  Paul: I didn't know what to expect, but I'd like to point out that putting another preliminary test in the form of elimination style deathmatches in between The Forest of Death and the final test of the Chunin Exams seems like a really crummy thing to do. But, hey, ninja aren't exactly known for playing fair...

  Joseph: Ah, the requisite shonen pseudo-tournament. I'm a sucker for these, and there's a lot of battle variety in what we've seen so far here. Also, we finally got our first really gross power in the form of parasitic chakra-eating insects. More gross powers, please!

  Kara: I'm not a big watcher of shonen anime, so the whole drawn-out story arcs/fights thing has always been kind of a joke at best for me. Now actually engaging with it? I... really kind of like it. I come primarily from giant robot and magical girl fandoms, and I love over-the-top fights. I was worried I'd be bored by this long string of one-on-one matches, but I'm actually digging it a lot.

    Peter: This is just Kishimoto flexing all over other shonen authors. "Yeah, I think I've got like 20 unique fighting styles I can break out for all these side characters." One thing I love in particular is how gross/horrifying a lot of powers are and the characters react appropriately. No one is getting anywhere near Shino for the foreseeable future.

  Jared: Having watched/read shonen series in the past, I'm not too surprised we haven't gotten a ton of one-on-one fights. Given how many characters we've been introduced to, it makes sense it's been a lot more group fights. Plus, with some of these early prelim fights basically being jobber matches, maybe it's a good thing this didn't happen until now.

  Danni: I have been a bit surprised at how many of the battles thus far have been group affairs. My understanding is this is the tournament arc-equivalent for Naruto, and tournament arcs are always the best arcs.

  Carolyn: I was also surprised that it took so long to really get into the one-on-one type battles because I remember that arc as being my favorite on my first watch. I'm actually quite glad there haven't been too many up to this point, I feel like that makes the tournament arc stand out even more.

  And, because I love asking people what their favorite fight in a particular anime is, I'll ask it here: Favorite fight in Naruto thus far?

  Paul: There are so many great fight sequences to choose from, but I'll be basic and say that my current favorite is the Sakura vs. Ino match because it offers another opportunity for Sakura to shine and because I'm a sucker for anything involving a cross-counter punch or a double-knockout finish.

  Joseph: I love me some puppet trickery so I gravitated toward Misumi Tsurugi vs. Kankurō.

  Kevin: ... Any chance you can ask again next week? If I have to answer for the fights thus far, probably Haru versus Sasuke/Naruto. I ragged on the fight when it happened because the characters could literally just run 20 feet to get away, but it showcased various character motivations, advanced Naruto and Sasuke's relationship and gave the audience a glimpse of the Nine-Tailed Fox's power, all while being one of the highest stakes fights thus far.

  Kara: Sakura vs. Ino. I feel like I'm finally getting all that Sakura characterization I've been wanting for weeks, and I enjoy the way it's paced between the action sequences. Plus I'm a fan of getting creative with jutsus, so Ino's hair rope got me. Mainly, though, it's cool to see two people so equally matched that they just straight up knocked each other out.

  David: I can't decide between, well, literally any of Sasuke's fights. The animators love that boy, and his style itself feels more like actually choreographed combat instead of the big power plays that require another character to spend the next five minutes explaining what I just saw. Sometimes when they really don't even need to - glaring at the end of Shino's recent battle here.

  Peter: Depends on what we're talking about. Action and animation it's definitely Sasuke vs Orochimaru. Narratively, the Haku fight. If we're just talking about the tournament so far gotta go with Sakura vs Ino. I forgot how hype that finisher was. Actually completely forgot about this subplot... not sure if that indicates how much they follow up on it later on...

  Jared: I really dug everything about the fight against Haku and Zabuza on the bridge, but I was real surprised how much I dug the Sakura vs. Ino fight. This really felt like a good way to continue Sakura getting her push finally, but also it was kind of neat to see how it was built around Ino's mind body switch jutsu, but really just boiled down to being an old fashioned fist fight with a great rivalry and build attached to it.

  Danni: Sasuke vs. Orochimaru for sure. There have been a fair few fights that I've really liked parts of, but that's the first full fight that blew my mind from start to finish.

  Nate: Seconding Kevin here, but I'll gush about that next week. So far, it's probably Sakura vs. Ino, since we get one of the most straightforward ninja fights, using multiple levels of technique even at a small scale like this, and ending in an awesome cross counter. Good job, ladies.

  Carolyn: So far, I'll have to agree with the Haku fight, just because of the emotional ramifications that came out of it. We still haven't gotten to my favorite favorite fight, though.

  Noelle: Also agreeing with Nate and Kevin, can we get this question next week? I think as of right now, it has to be the Haku fight, because it was really meaningful. A lot of the fights have been fun but just alright, where that one and the fallout of it gave me a genuine emotional reaction. It's a good fight. Animation-wise, Sasuke vs Orochimaru takes the cake.

  Sasuke's "grim n' edgy" character is Naruto's equivalent of the "Characters spend years charging up their moves" joke about Dragon Ball Z. It's something people make fun of even if they haven't seen the show. But honestly, I don't really mind Sasuke. How do you feel about him now that you've gotten to know him a little better? Be honest.

  Paul: I was going to say that I hope Sasuke has more interesting development to his character than just his role as an avenger struggling to grow more powerful in order to defeat his evil older brother, but instead I'll just say: 

    Kevin: If I'm being honest, he's actually less edgy than I remember. Sure, he scoffs a lot and goes off to do things on his own, but even now things can catch him off guard, he emotes more than I thought he would and he sees Naruto as someone he actually wants to fight, showing that they see each others as equals, instead of Sasuke thinking that he's better than everyone like when he was first introduced.

  Joseph: Sasuke comes off as more of an antisocial loner than someone who is particularly edgy to me. I don't have strong feelings toward or against him, so I'll just say "he's fine."

  Kara: Sasuke isn't as bad as he's made out to be in jokes and fandom, but I can absolutely see where those jokes come from. Also, it really feels like Sasuke is meant to be the star of this show but Naruto just kinda grabbed the camera from him. Which is not a complaint - I really dig the idea that our lead even has to fight the show itself to get noticed.

  David: It's weird, he himself is fine, so I think upon this watch I've realized his reputation comes more from how the other characters talk about him. How many times has he or someone else called him an "avenger" so far?

  Peter: I remember him being more obnoxious and his constant styling on enemies really sells his super cool persona. Obviously the animators, and probably Kishimoto, really love it when Sasuke fights people. He still hasn't broken out his goth romper yet though, so...

  Jared: I honestly thought he'd be worse than he has been, but he really hasn't been too bad. There are certainly times where he feels like a character of that late '90s/early '00s time period, but that's just what was in vogue. Plus, anybody who does a piledriver is alright in my book. Although, I was playing the latest Code: Realize fan disc and his voice actor is in that, so I can't escape him.

  Danni: I expected him to be very single-minded in his edginess before this watchthrough, so I've been pleasantly surprised by how much personality he shows, both exhibiting fear in the face of enemies like Orochimaru and camaraderie with Naruto.

  Nate: You kinda need this sort of character--the quiet, cool guy--to play off a hot-blooded shonen main character. You see it all the time--Rukawa in Slam Dunk, Kageyama in Haikyu, Yuno in Black Clover--and it really helps balance things out in terms of story and action. I've always seen Sasuke as the necessary edgelord--Naruto wants to see the good in people, but Sasuke's just there to do work.

  Carolyn: He's not so much edgy as super standoffish and that can be off-putting. It really does feel like he's the main character at times, but that's OK with me. Naruto can be a bit overbearing at times.

  Noelle: I have very mixed feelings on Sasuke, but the meat of that comes later. From who he is at the moment, he's a very troubled kid who's fairly smart, but is still kind of awkward when it comes to dealing with other people worming their way in. There's nothing wrong with that. Later is when my complaints will start to roll in.

  Okay, so this has nothing to do with Naruto, but I like the fact that our Slack channel momentarily discussed what Shakespeare adaptations would be like in anime. What Shakespeare play do YOU think would work best as a shonen anime.

  Paul: First off, I'd just like to apologize for steering the conversation in that direction. As the resident English/Creative Writing major with a background in theatre focusing on Shakespeare, I am fully to blame for that. That being said, I stand by my original assertion, which is that there should be a Shonen Jump version of The Two Gentlemen of Verona, set in OUTER SPACE, with transforming giant robots.

  Joseph: I haven't read Shakespeare since college and I was also an English major. How about Romeo + Juliet as directed by Baz Luhrmann and depicting the forbidden love between Naruto and Sasuke. Oh wait, that wasn't the question. I'm gonna leave my answer as is, though.

  Kara: Twelfth Night. Romance plot and mistaken identity sound more shoujo, but hear me out. Plenty of B plot to work with thanks to Sir Toby and the servants, fictional setting (Illyria) so the character designer can just go off if they want to, and an underdog (Viola as Cesario) getting thrown into fight scenes constantly. Also Malvolio is a massive scenery-chewer.

  Peter: Definitely Othello. Main character and his partner try to hold everything together fighting all their friends who have betrayed them. Even the love interest he has yet to kiss seems to betray him. Then you find out it was his best friend the whole time and cue final battle with them repeatedly yelling each others names.

  Jared: If you really want to get a lengthy shonen anime that spans generations of characters, the Henriad tetralogy of Richard II, Henry IV Parts 1 and 2, and Henry V would be perfect. Plus, I'd love to see how they'd adapt the bizarre French language cursing scene from Henry V. Considering there really aren't that many Japanese manga adaptations of Shakespeare outside of Requiem of the Rose King and a few others, this is a market that I would love to see get fully explored and expanded regardless if it was shonen or not.

    Danni: Is now a good time to mention that I never did the reading in my Western Literature class and just spent every period reading off of Sparknotes?

  Nate: For a senior year English project, we remade the third act of Macbeth as a kung-fu story, so I'd probably be down to do that again, this time in shonen form with 1000% more yelling.

  Carolyn: The Tempest and Macbeth are my favorites. The Tempest is so magical I could easily see it working as a fantasy type anime. It would also make a pretty great "Hero's Journey" type thing. But really I would just kill to see the three witches from Macbeth show up in an anime series. That would be awesome.

  Noelle: I really and truly love Macbeth, and I'd love to see it in anime- especially since things like the witches would be great horror fodder. Also Hamlet, since Hamlet also has things like ghosts and pirates inbetween all the stabbings.

    COUNTERS:

"I'm gonna be Hokage!" count: 14

Bowls of ramen consumed: 2 bowls, 3 cups

Shadow Clones: 121

And that's everything for this week! Remember that you're always welcome to join us for this rewatch, especially if you haven't watched the original Naruto!

Here's our upcoming schedule!

-Next week, on MARCH 1st, we’ll talk about EPISODES 43-49 as NATE MING returns! The elimination tournament continues, and we start one of Naruto's most legendary fights!

-Then, on MARCH 8th, the Chunin Exam finals begin in EPISODES 50-56, with CAROLYN BURKE hosting!

-On MARCH 15th, DANNI WILMOTH covers EPISODES 57-63--Naruto settles a grudge as the finals heat up!

Have any comments or questions about episodes 36-42? What about our upcoming installment, featuring episodes 43-49?

--------------

Daniel Dockery is a writer and editor for Crunchyroll. He has a Twitter that he uses. 

Do you love writing? Do you love anime? If you have an idea for a features story, pitch it to Crunchyroll Features!

By: news+feed@crunchyroll.com

[dharkness-bdbrw-blog]

#BreakFastTime #BDBRW

#BDBRW

Dhark

(I finished filling out my application to the Trainee Program for the brotherhood, and I would send it in tomorrow night to the designated delivery address. I was still at a loss as to what would go on next, but I am sure they would be contacting me letting me know one way or another what the next step would be. I tossed the empty bottle of beer into the trash and made my way to the back bedroom. I was trying to be a gentleman by giving her my bed. It was her lucky night, any other time my naked ass would be in bed beside her. I went in and checked on her, and she was sweating bullets and was hot to the touch. I supposed it was the alcohol burning its way out. I just hoped she didn’t get sick. I turned the heat down and grabbed a pillow, blanket and made my way out of the room closing the door behind me. I made up the sofa and grabbed the remote turning on the TV not paying attention to anything that was on, just using it for some background noise so if the female woke up she might not freak.)

Zophya

~I woke in a daze. My eyelids felt like the lashes had twined together in an attempt to keep them from opening. I had to swipe them multiple times just to convince the mascara that it didn’t need to help keep my eyes from ever opening again. The blurred vision I got once I finally managed to open them peepers really didn’t do me any good either. Where the hell was I? It sure as hell wasn’t my place. That much I could tell by the smell. It was very… sniff, sniff… dudish…! Shit! What did I do last night?!! I curled up in a ball, head in my hands. Damn it, Zo. You know better than this. What if I ended up with a psycho? I could seriously be diced meat right now. Knowing my luck, that was far more likely than picking up the one guy who would actually be nice to me. I’d pretty much given up on the whole dating scene entirely. The last one ended up setting my car on fire. Honestly, I gave up on cars too. I’d walk and learn how to pleasure myself before I went down either road again. And yet, here I was. Well shit, a girl’s got needs. Right? Hell if I know. I can’t even remember what happened. That has to be the most disappointing part. I probably had a super good time and OF COURSE I don’t remember it. Wait a minute… Why was my head so hot? Do a vitals check girl! You could still be missing pieces! You still got your kidneys? I swiped a hand under the sheet, feeling my side where I imagined someone would take a kidney out. Nope, nothing there. Like REALLY nothing there!~ Fuck! I’m super naked!! ~I instantly clamped my hand over my mouth. You might not be alone here! And oh, my, god, what is that in your mouth?! I dragged my tongue over the roof of my mouth. It felt like a small, furry animal had crawled up in there and died. Just how drunk had I gotten? Apparently straight up plowed.~ Literally!!! ~I snorted out a laugh that was entirely too loud. I groaned and drew the pillow over my head, hiding completely under sheets and pillows. If no one sees me, I’m not really here right? Wait a minute. There’s my clothes. They were shoved all the way to the foot of the bed, bunched up under the sheets with me. Like they’d pissed me off in the middle of the night and I took them off. Yes, I did that sometimes, so bite me. Oh my! That brought back a memory! I ran a hand down my neck, trying to feel for a sore spot or a wound of some sort. What I actually remembered was how frickin yummy it felt. Calm down girl. You are getting yourself all worked up.~

Dhark:

(I woke to the sound of a rapid heartbeat coming from the back bedroom, MY bedroom. A smirk played upon my lips as I laid here thinking about what had occurred in the alley last night. The smell of sex was still in the air around her, and I was hard just thinking about it. I couldn’t wait until she made her way out of the room, I am going to guess she doesn't even remember what went on, with all the sounds I heard going on in that room throughout the night. I sat up, running my fingers through my hair, smoothing it down on my head before making my way to the bedroom. There was a lot of movement going on under the sheets, and hell, I was curious as fuck to see what she was doing in there under them sheets. Rising, letting my blanket fall to the floor I slowly made my way to the outside of the door. My sweats hung low on my hips, and I was shirtless as I opened the door, slowly peeking in. I seen her curled up in a ball with her head buried in her hands. Her heart was beating so fast now I thought it best if maybe I make a small noise to avert her attention. I let out a little cough…”Hello… um, sorry I didn’t catch your name last night, I hope you are feeling better.” I briefly paused for a few seconds before continuing. “I didn’t know where to take you. You know you really should carry a photo id or your driver's license with you.” I kept my eyes towards the floor; I knew she was naked by the sound of the sheets moving over her skin, and I could smell myself on her. “The bathroom is down the hall to the left; I will leave you a few towels if you’d like to shower.” I let my eyes travel up to the bed, hoping maybe she would peek out from under the sheets. “Hey, you hungry? I could make us something to eat.” Why the fuck was I being helpful to this female? Something about her made me feel sorry for her. I turned from the room and made my way to the bathroom leaving her some towels out and one of my clean shirts before going back to the kitchen to start breakfast.)

Zo:

~I held very still as soon as I heard the cough of someone else in the room. I gripped the mattress, ready use it to propel me forward kamikaze style if this guy turned out to be the stabbing type. Better not. I'd claw his eyes out! Hang on a sec. He actually sounds super nice. My head tilted to the side and I pulled a section of the sheet up so I could catch a glimpse.~ Holy Hell!! ~I let out a wolf whistle at the stacked and packing piece of man meat that was walking out of the room. Dayum, Zo! You done good girl! I was leaning out of the bed to catch a better view and I ended up falling ass over tea kettle onto the floor. Sheets and pillows flying everywhere in a tangled mess. I hit my head with a loud thud.~ Umpf! Ugh... sonofa... ~I bunched and tucked all of the sheet around me as I somersaulted across the floor like I meant to do that. I scrambled to my feet with hair flying wildly and a near miss on the wardrobe malfunction. Shit girl, pull yourself together. This is serious. That guy is positively delish.~ I know what I wanna eat... ~I mumbled under my breath and then burst out laughing. Remembering myself I called after him.~ Thank you! Really. That's awesome of you. ~Wait. I didn't have my ID?! Shit! Where the hell did I leave it? I remembered putting in my purse. Least I thought so. I poked my head out of the room to catch the glorious sight of him heading toward the kitchen. I groaned and forced myself to dart into the bathroom instead of toward him. I really was nasty and I needed to fix that before I jumped on Muscles over there. Well maybe not jump on him... Although... It would be nice to remember him at least. Good reason. Let's go with that. I nodded to myself and turned on the water in the shower. The sheet fell to the floor in a florid swish of my arms.~ I'm using your toothbrush. Okay? Thanks! ~I didn't even wait for him to say no. This critter in my mouth needed evicting quick fast and in a hurry. By the time I was done with that the water was steaming up nice and good. I got in the shower and almost fell on my ass. One foot slipped and I grabbed the sides like a sucker fish. Nope! Not falling again this soon. Course it probably sounded like I was. That or killing something that came up from the drain. Crisis averted. For now. I rolled my eyes at my own clumsiness just before losing myself in how wonderful the water felt. I moaned like I was doing something naughty, lathering up with whatever products Gluteus Maximus used. I liked the idea of smelling like him. So what if I just met him? He was fucking hot and I was taking the win.~

Dhark:

(I couldn’t help but let a cocky smirk appear on my face. I heard every word the female had said, and although I was a hit it a go kind of guy, I can’t deny she made me kind of laugh. It had been so long since anyone had done that. I always said I would never mate with anyone, seeing first hand what heartache of losing your other half could cause and I did not want to partake of that. I also never fucked the same person twice. I did not do clingy very well, and now with me going to the trainee program, well, who would have time for that. I finished making breakfast, I made us both up a healthy portion and setting them on the table along with some juice and had the coffee going. I heard her in the shower, squirting out the soap, and oh My toothbrush!? Well, I could think of something else to stick in her mouth. I yelled after hearing her moan, “Everything going ok in there?” I fought back laughter and decided to peek in on my house guest. I walked all stealth like down the hall not making a sound as I approached the bathroom door. I grasped ahold of the handle, turning it slowly and pried the door open. There she stood, her back towards me as I watched the suds of the soap make their way down her curves. I held back a growl and the urge to rip the shower door off. I felt the need to press her against the shower tile and have my way with her. My dick was as hard as a diamond in an ice storm. FUCK. I backed away and shut the door without a sound. I quickly adjusted myself as I was still walking around in sweats. I yelled out, covering up what I had just done. “Breakfast is going to get cold if you don’t hurry up.” I walked over to the sink turning the cold water on taking some in my hands to splash my face with as I heard the shower turn off. Drying my face off with a hand towel tossing it on the counter before taking a seat at the table waiting on the female to join me for a bite to eat before finding out more about her.)

Zo: I'll be out in a minute! ~I felt more like a person after I got out of the shower. Between that and brushing the gunk out of my mouth, I was set to face the world. Or maybe just the guy in the other room. Damn. Was I set to face him? The dose of liquid courage that I had last night was no longer a factor here. What if he didn't actually care for the real me? I looked at myself in the mirror. Meh. Fuck it. What have I got to lose at this point really? Not a damn thing! I picked up the shirt that he left for me with a big old grin on my face. He was so thoughtful. 'Here. Wear a shirt and nothing but.' Why thank you, I think I will. I held it up to my nose and took a deep whiff. Very nice. Maybe I could steal it from him when I left. I slid it over my head, instantly getting lost in the fabric. His shoulders for miles equaled a dress on me. I laughed and toweled off the excess water in my hair before calling it good and leaving the relative safety of the bathroom.~ Whatever you made smells amazing. ~Always did like a guy who knew his way around a kitchen. I stopped when I finally saw him and gave a nervous grin. Damn. His backside wasn't the only thing appealing about him. Keep it together girl. I came over and sat down in the chair with a plate of food in front of it. My stomach growled instantly. I hid my laugh in my still wet hair.~ Guess I was more hungry than I thought. ~I forgot the food for a moment and let my eyes wander the many tattoos that I was seeing. Way I figured it, if a person has that much art on their body, they want people to look at it. It did nothing to hide bulging muscles. In fact it was hard to ignore the contours in favor of the ink. I probably looked stupid staring but I didn't care. My head tilted to take more of it in. There was a lot going on here.~ I like... that one, most of all. ~I touched a finger to the winged warrior on his upper arm.~ Though this one is a close second. ~Touching the dragon that curled around his neck and down his pec. I grinned wide and took my finger back, scraping teeth over my lower lip.~ So... My name's Zophya. ~I held out my hand.~ You can call me Zo for short. Everyone else does.

Dhark:

(I waited patiently as my house guest yelled that she would be out in a minute which gave my cock enough time to tame down. Taking a huge gulp of coffee, I heard her feet pad down the hall, my eyes focused on where she would appear never losing sight of her as she took her seat. A smirk played in the corner of my lips as her stomach roared out in hunger. “ Well I am glad, it smells good to you, I wasn’t sure if you’d be up for some food after last night.” I looked at this little female over my cup of coffee. I enjoyed her eyes raking over my skin gazing at my tattoos, but then when her finger touched me, holy fuck, it took all I had not to clear the food from this table and lay her out on it. The only thing that saved her at this moment was when she finally gave me her name and broke my train of thought. “Zophya, that is nice.” Her named lingered on my lips. “Mine name is….” Damn, how do I tell her my name is Dharkness and not send her running. “Donovan, but my friends call me Dhark.” I took her hand into mine, holding on to her longer than anyone should. I could feel my fangs drop. It was like her blood called out to me and my mouth watered just to taste her. My cock once again begging to be buried between the warmth of the thighs of this female. My eyes shifted down my shirt, the one that she was wearing. Stopping at her ever so perky nipples that were showing through the material I licked my lips and once again a feral growl that started in my gut made its way past my mouth. With one quick sweep of the table the food flew with such a force, the plates shattered against the wall as the food slid down piled on the floor as the steam still rose. I had this female on the table flat on her back before she could even speak. My eyes shifted from hers as  I tore at the shirt, shredding it with my teeth feeling her flesh now against mine. Without even asking my hand eased between her legs and my lips made their way to her ear tugging at her lobe before I spoke in a hushed tone. “Zo, It seems my appetite has taken a turn, I no longer hunger for food but you.” Scraping my teeth along her pink flesh, kissing down her neck as I cupped one of her breasts. I was intoxicated by her scent, or maybe it was her blood, but I knew she wouldn’t be leaving here anytime soon.)

Zo: ~My brow furrowed as he seemed to struggle to remember what his name was. Was he giving me a fake one that he just made up on the spot? The flicker of a warning was quickly dashed as I focused on the hold his hand on me. Strong, well used fingers. Just like the rest of him. I blushed as his gaze went directly to the girls that were cutting glass right now. I probably could have dried off better because the wetness of my hair was leaving nothing to the imagination on the shirt front. I could have probably come out in a parka and not stopped what happened next. Food flew everywhere. I might have said something but I didn't have a chance to get out more than a surprised squeak before I found myself laid out on the table.~ Holy hell!... ~One thing I had to give him, he didn't mess around. He went after what he wanted. And damn me if it didn't hit all the right notes with me. I'd come into the room aroused but now I was flat out dripping. My hands found and explored rich mounds of muscled flesh, greedy to know every inch of the guy who was above me right now. I almost forgot to breathe. It was a close thing and ended up coming out in a ragged burst that had my chest rising and falling. The shirt didn't stand a chance. Had I ever seen someone rip off clothes with their teeth? The answer was a huge, NO. But I could sure as hell cross that off my bucket list now. I arched into him and held on for dear life. It felt like I could melt off of the table and land in a puddle on the floor at any moment. My breath hitched once more and I surprised myself with a loud moan as his hand slid right between my thighs.~ Oh Shit!... ~My legs opened without a thought as to whether or not I should. I hooked both feet around his huge calf muscles. Pulling myself into him. It felt like my entire body was on fire and he was the only thing that could put out the flames.~ Fuck food... ~I gasped~ We can eat later... ~Nails dug into his back and shoulders, slipping and clawing through all those beautiful tattoos.~

Dhark:

(An animal instinct came over me as her nails dug into my skin. I felt her feet wrap around my calfs. Knowing I would break this table, but at the same time not caring, I ran my hand down her outer thigh all the way down to her ankle, breaking the hold she had on me. I glided down her body, worshiping every inch on my way down. Cupping her perfect, hard nipples that I saw poking through the now shredded shirt that sprawled all over my floor, giving them a nice squeeze. The smell of her arousal now filled the room. Letting loose of her breast my hands ran over her flat stomach, to her mound. I ran one finger down her soaking wet folds letting my index finger skim over her clit to her entrance. I licked my lips with anticipation of tasting this female. The arch of her body was erotic and made me want to do nasty things to her. I pushed my finger forward penetrating her core. I pushed her legs farther apart with my free hand dipping my head down between her thighs licking up and down both before I claim my prize. Flattening my tongue over I slowly made my way up over her juices sucking her click as I know added another finger, moving every so easily now in and out as I worked on giving her something to remember me by. My tongue ran up and down her, gaining intensity. I would show no mercy to her, and would not be satisfied until I felt the quiver of her legs vibrate so hard it would knock us off the table.)

Zo: ~I should probably be worried about what I was doing. I had only just now learned this guy's name and here I was spread out on his table like a Thanksgiving dinner. These were the kind of things that horror movies were made of. Single chick goes home with some guy she fucked while totally wasted. Next morning they find her hacked to bits in a dumpster somewhere. Did I even care right now? Not even remotely. He was hot and I was horny. It was that simple. Well... There was more to it. Like the fact that I couldn't remember ever even being horny before. Yeah, I had sex. I wasn't no dang virgin. But it was never... This!! I wanted to pull him down inside of me so bad that it hurt. When he unlocked my ankle and pulled away even a fraction I was ready go full Hellcat on his ass. I rose up from the table, supporting myself on my elbows, and almost fell right back down. I moaned loudly and pushed into the hand that he had on my breast. Hell, who was I kidding? This guy could do whatever the fuck he wanted to me. I made my arms hold me up as he descended. I wanted, no, I needed to see him. There was so much that I missed last night and I was sure as hell going to enjoy every minute of it this time around. I sucked in a breath that I almost forgot to let go. I don't know what I did right to get this kind of treatment but I was sure as hell sending up some thank yous right now. And there was his tongue... Something a little tamer than a scream came out of me. I started falling back and caught myself at the last second. Determined to stay right where I was, I grabbed his hair with both hands and used that to keep me up. I'd rip his frickin hair out before I fell this time. I damn near pushed and pulled his head to exactly where I wanted it. Though he didn't need any kind of direction to get the job done. It really didn't take too long before all my resolve flew out the window. There wasn't a muscle left in my body that was going to hold me up. I slipped down, maybe taking a bit of his hair, I wasn't sure. I was twitching and rolling with every small motion of his. My fingers found my nipples and I rolled them back and forth. I cried out to the heavens as I climbed higher and higher.~

#BreakfastTime